Tab

Tab
Original cover.
Extended play by Monster Magnet
Released	October 4 1991
Recorded	May 1991 at Subterranean Sound in Long Branch, New Jersey, USA
Genre	Psychedelic rock · space rock
Length	48:51 (Original)
Label	Glitterhouse Records (1991/1992) Caroline Records (1993) Steamhammer (2006) Napalm (2017)
Producer	Monster Magnet
Monster Magnet chronology
Spine of God (1991)	Tab (1991)	Superjudge (1993)

Tab (a.k.a. 25 Tab or 25... Tab with the amount of ellipses depending on the format) is the second EP by the New Jersey stoner rock band Monster Magnet. Notably featuring a 32-minute title track it was originally released in late 1991 via German label Glitterhouse Records. The band themselves have since referred to it simply as "TAB". Musically it's considered to be their most psychedelic release and, in the liner notes of the re-issue, describes it as inspired by Hawkwind, Amon Duul II, Alice Cooper and Skullflower. Despite it's length of nearly fifty minutes it's considered to be an EP. It's also notable as the last release to feature Tim Cronin on drums before switching to lights and visuals.

Background

Tab initially existed as a jam that was around when the band was known as Airport 75, prior to the formation of Monster Magnet. The band did record it several times in their earliest demos and it would be a staple of the band's early live performances. When it came time to record the band would work at Subterranean Studios in Long Branch with Stacey Phelon, circa May 1991. Both Wyndorf and McBain have confirmed the band recorded the song with a wall clock marked with tape to mark when to move to the next section as they had very little money at the time. The band only got one mix of the EP along with "Lord 13" being an original 4-track recording separate from the Tab sessions. Notably "Lord 13" also appears in the soundtrack and the credits to the 1999 film Beowulf.

The original cover painting on the Tab album is "Saturn Seen From Titan" by space artist Chesley Bonestell (pronounced «bahn-uh-stell», 1888-1986), used in Willy Ley's book The Conquest of Space (1949, Viking Press) which was illustrated by Bonestell. The swimming Bull God was painted on (an excerpt of) the original painting.

In an archived interview with a fansite known as Freak Shop USA, John McBain talks about the recording process of Tab from his perspective:

“	"My gear was the same gear that I used throughout Magnet, a Squier Strat, Big Muff, Vox wah wah and a Fender Bassman amp. Dave was using a solid state Ampeg combo, his nameless red guitar, an Ibanez Sonic Distortion pedal (the secret weapon of early MM. We used it on everything including vocals) and his beloved Echoplex. Tim beat the living hell out of floor toms and industrial sized cookware which he referred to as "gig pots". The set up for recording Tab demanded Tim. We set up in the studio. Tim and Joe played drums. I played bass. Dave played guitar. I think that Jon sat out. We taped Dave's watch to a pillar in the center of the room and agreed that we would change keys every 8 minutes. Listen and you can hear me fuck up completely at the 16 minute mark. I was too stoned to pay attention. As I see it, Tim was and still is the essence of Monster Magnet.Without him we would have failed completely. His admitted limitations kept us raw and psychedelic. When he left the band I started to lose interest."	”
	— John McBain, Freak Shop USA

Although Tab was recorded before Spine of God is was released after according to Wyndorf. A German Amazon website also claims the original release of Tab was on 4 October 1991, which would be two months before Spine of God. Wyndorf is likely referring to the United States release on 14 May 1993, nearly a year after Spine of God had dropped in The United States. The original LP had a sticker which says "Limited edition with fucked-up cover!!! This ain't a follow-up. It is what it is. Recorded on High Street, Earth, 1991." along with a locked groove on side A.

However subsequent re-releases would be more accurate. Tab would be reissued by Caroline Records on 14 May 1993, with some versions containing the Murder single as unlisted bonus tracks. Both Spine of God and Tab would be re-issued in March 2006 with remastered sound, liner notes and unreleased bonus tracks. In the case of Tab it would feature a live version of Spine of God circa 1990. Notably Cronin sings on this live cut and the recording itself culls from a bootleg known as Smoking, Drinking, Fucking. Napalm Records would re-issue Tab again on 1 September 2017 on CD and Vinyl though the bonus track is unlisted.

Though largely ignored by critics at the time Tab has since been praised retroactively, often at the time of re-issues or otherwise. Tab would be praised by several critics such as New Noise Magazine (4.5 Stars), Metal Temple (8/10), Jive Time Records, Tiny Mix Tapes and Julian Cope.

Tracklist

Monster Magnet - Tab 1991

• 1. Tab... (Wyndorf, McBain, Cronin) (32:14)
• 2. 25 / Longhair (Wyndorf, McBain) (12:28)
• 3. Lord 13 (4:09)
• 4. Spine of God (Live) (7:25)

Personnel

• Dave Wyndorf - Guitar, Vocals, Echoplex, Liner Notes
• John McBain - Guitar
• Joe Calandra - Bass
• Jon Kleiman - Drums
• Tim Cronin - Bass, Drums, Vocals
• Stacey Phelon - Engineer
• Günter Pauler - Lacquer Cut (Original Press)
• Alan Douches - Mastering
• Alexander Von Wieding - Artwork (Reissue)
• SJ - Lacquer Cut (2017 Reissue)

External Links

• / Tab on Discogs
• Article on Tab via The Obelisk
• Review via Sea of Tranqulity
• Review via Metal Observer